Mario Kart DS

I never thought I would get into too many DS games, but when I saw my daughter playing this and how much fun it looked, I gave it a try.I'm familiar with the other Mario Kart games, yet I had never actually played until I played this one, so keep in mind, this is a review from someone who went into playing this game blindly, only knowing the main characters from previous other Mario games.First, I want to start by saying how surprised I was that I enjoyed a racing game so much. I'm usually more into the platform games and usually "steer" away from any kind of game related to racing, but this one was the exception. It's fun for all ages, and my daughter I had lots of fun playing this together. Figuring out the buttons was simple enough, and making Mario (or your character of choice) race to victory was pretty fun.The graphics are pretty amazing for a handheld like the DS, and again I was surprised at just how colorful and creative the characters and scenery was. I've seen my daughter play quite a few DS games, but only a few have measured up to the graphics in Mario DS.My favorite part however, was just having a reason to get to play again with the same characters I grew up playing with. From Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong and Princess Peach (and a few others), I was happy to hear their typical sounds and watch their expressions. This is also a pretty in-depth game in which you can unlock extra tracks, play solo mode or go straight for the Grand Prix. There is enough there to keep you occupied for quite a while.My daughter to this day still plays Mario DS. In fact she just started a new game, which prompted to write a review on how pleased I am to finally find a game that can be played for years without getting bored. With the prices of games these days, this is definitely a blessing.I'd recommend Mario DS to just about anyone who likes fun family- friendly games. You just can't go wrong with Mario!

Just to add another perspective to the many reviews, I'm over fifty, and I've never played a racing game before -- or any of the classic Nintendo video games, for that matter. I bought this one only because of the high ratings and rave reviews. And I'm glad I did!I've never been much into real-time games, frankly, but I've always liked having one around as a change of pace. Back when home computers were a novelty, I found the occasional Red Baron (a WWI flight sim) game refreshing after many hours of playing chess or turn-based games like Civilization.That's just why I bought Mario Kart -- as a periodic change of pace from turn-based DS games like Advance Wars, Chessmaster, and Age of Empires. And it fills the bill perfectly. Maybe a little too perfectly, since Mario Kart is often my first choice nowadays.I was worried that my aging reflexes might not be up to a game like this, but it turns out I can handle it. There are three speeds to choose from, and the slowest is challenging but quite manageable. I'll never master the game, but I can keep my cart on the track most of the time, and I've enjoyed my share of victories.The race itself is spiced up with various items you can use to either enhance your own performance or interfere with your opponents' progress. And I find this a nice balance. You don't always have the speed or agility to win a straightforward race, but you can sometimes use the items to triumph anyway. Yeah, it's "dirty pool," but it's all in fun. And I think I'd probably lose interest in a straightforward racing game.The variety of drivers, carts, and tracks (some of which have to be unlocked via skillful play) make for long-term enjoyment. This game does not soon get to where you feel it's the same thing over and over again. Some of the tracks are very challenging indeed, especially at higher speeds.Anyhow, Mario Kart is lots of fun for young and old alike. One of the best purchases I've made for the DS. No regrets.

I jumped on board when the DS Lite hit the market. The initial DS didn't do anything for me as it resembled a game console that was made during the PS1 era. Kudos to Nintendo for the re-design.On to the game... I never really played Mario Kart on SNES where all the fun started. I did however enjoy it on the N64 and was addicted to it. The colors, sounds, tracks, etc. All my senses were put to their max.Now Mario Kart DS... All the fun of the previous games has been brought to the DS with great results! The graphics are absolutely gorgeous. The use of the second screen is terrific which allows you to see not only where the other players are, but the `bad things' the other plays have left for you. Things like shells, banana peels, etc.The online game play is a blast too! For the most part I play online as it is fun playing with people of all different skills. I'm not a pro at this game, so it's fun seeing how the `pros' do their thing and it helps me learn.In a nut-shell if you own a DS Lite and enjoy fun game play then Mario Kart DS needs to be added to your library! The replay value is really high as the online play always keeps it active and fresh.The ability to play with or DS owners with only one cart (which I have yet to try) seems very cool!It keeps my attention and I love playing it. I have the attention span of a goldfish, so any game that keeps me playing over and over is a winner in my book!This game is highly recommended for anybody. Age is not an issue! :)This game gets all 5 stars! Graphics, game play, replay value, and sound are all top notch!

good quality and price!